Waltham Forest will be known as Walthamstow FC from next month, after the Essex County Football Association approved the club’s name change.

The Essex Senior League side revealed just over a week ago that the club was looking to change its name, with the plans coinciding with its 150th anniversary, with the team originally being formed in 1868 as Matlock Swifts. After then becoming Leyton FC and an amalgamation with Walthamstow Pennant FC, the club then became Waltham Forest FC in 2003.

On the pitch, it has been a difficult campaign for Forest, but they finished the season in style under player-manager Ryan Maxwell, picking up 11 points from their last five games.

They avoided relegation on the final day of the campaign thanks to a 3-1 win over Ilford, after goals from Shomari Barnwell, Josh Brimacombe-Wiard and Rheo Josephs.

Having maintained their Essex Senior League status, the club now has big plans for the future, with secretary Andy Perkins targeting promotion in the future.

In a statement last week, Perkins said: “We believe the people of Walthamstow deserve a club with its identity in the area we play, they also deserve a successful team that will be seeking promotion to return the club to former glories. We hope that the supporters will embrace this and help our fanbase grow.

“We appreciate the swell of support we have seen at the end of the season. We’re committed to making this a club its supporters can be proud of, and we sincerely hope our supporters, old and new, will be with us on this journey.

“We believe that Ryan Maxwell showed his excellent capabilities as a manager, after being handed what was really a poisoned chalice, he worked incredibly hard to get together a team that was up to the job.

“He will be looking to strengthen the squad for a promotion push and, I know he has already started on that track and has a number of outstanding players eager to join Walthamstow FC.”

Elsewhere in the Essex Senior League, there was to be heartbreak for Wadham Lodge, whose future in the division lies in the hands of the Football Association, after they finished in the bottom four after a 1-1 draw with relegation rivals Barkingside.

Lodge finished the game with ten men and the draw ultimately wasn’t enough for the side to leap out of the Essex Senior League relegation zone. Their fate will now be decided by the Football Association, after the club finished third from bottom.

Meanwhile, Redbridge’s hopes of gaining promotion are over after they were beaten 1-0 by Basildon United thanks to Marcus Bowers’ last gasp strike.

Bowers stepped up to net his 34th of the season from the edge of the area after Jack Renew was upended, to secure Basildon the win and promotion to the Bostik Football League for the first time since 1991. Redbridge did have chances through Patrick Duggan and Thomas Gogo, with the latter hitting the crossbar, but they just couldn’t put the ball into the back of the net, with the result meaning the Motormen finished in fourth place in the Essex Senior League.

Lastly, West Essex were unable to finish the season in style, as they were beaten 2-1 at home by bottom of the table Hackney Wick.

Michael Mignot pulled a goal back for West Essex with fifteen minutes to play to half Hackney Wick’s advantage, but they were unable to find that all important equaliser, meaning they finish in 7th place in the league.